Smart Growth On The Ground: Cities
Smart Growth On The Ground: Suburban Highway & Rail Corridor
Smart Growth On The Ground: Rapidly Developing Suburban Fringe Areas
Smart Growth On The Ground: Small Towns
Smart Growth On The Ground: Rural Areas

Existing Conditions: An urban center suffers from disinvestment and inappropriate development. Historic buildings have been compromised. Cars and surface parking have made it difficult and unpleasant to walk and worse to drive within the city. Although the traditional scale remains intact in many areas, as does much of the original fabric of buildings and squares, the traditional diversity of urban functions is disappearing slowly. Transit service links the city with the surrounding region and other cities.

Trend Development: In need of ratables, the urban center accepts suburban-style development. Random placement of high-rise office towers destroys the historic scale. Building location and design have little relationship to local traditions. Single-story fast-food franchises and chain stores surrounded by parking further compromise the urban fabric. Historic buildings are demolished for parking and cars become the central focus of urban life. The city loses its diverse mix of uses and becomes an automobile-oriented urban office park that does not benefit from transit service.

Plan Development: A diverse blend of new buildings-many incorporating green features-are designed to fit within the traditional urban pattern. The location and design of new buildings reflect the traditional character of the city. A public square flanked by a highrise tower act as focal points for redevelopment. The preservation and restoration of historic buildings, squares and streets is a local priority. Careful design review keeps the visual impacts of the automobile to a minimum. Smaller scale in-fill development occurs on side streets. Transit-oriented housing and new offices locate around the refurbished train station. New activities draw people and create lively streets.

Existing Conditions: A historic town center, containing a mix of office, retail, institutional and residential uses, is still surrounded by large areas of rural countryside. The regional commuter rail is experiencing dramatic increases in ridership at the small congested stations. Office parks and commercial development are beginning to appear along a state highway. Residential subdivisions are replacing farms and forests. Formerly rural roads are increasingly congested with traffic from strip commercial development. Some of the region's best agricultural soils are under imminent threat of development.

Trend Development: The historic town center loses its role as the commercial and social hub for the surrounding area. The state highway is widened, but becomes even more congested. Increased non-point source pollution leads to a decline in the quality of the river's water. Prime agricultural soils are paved over. Development and housing fragment green corridors while trails and aquifer recharge areas are lost. The open countryside defining the historic town center is overwhelmed by development. Air quality declines. Residential subdivisions consume the remainder of the region's rural forests and farmlands.

Plan Development: Balanced in-fill growth in the town center reinforces the traditional mix of uses, drawing from and enhancing the historic context. The historic center is still surrounded by rural countryside. The river is protected by open space buffers and preservation of water recharge areas. Service on the commuter rail line is expanded. Improved station area facilities include a shared parking deck, and become the focus for new transit-oriented town centers. Access to the state highway is limited and road expansions are unnecessary. Air quality is protected. Residential growth is redirected to existing centers and to new, walkable centers served by transit.

Existing Conditions: The Garden State of New Jersey has some of the nation's best farmland, yet much of this irreplaceable resource is currently zoned for low-density development. The farmland and open space forms a continuous, productive landscape. Woodlands and hedgerows provide important wildlife habitat. Buildings are clustered in farmsteads and hamlets. The local roads are designed for low levels of rural, farm traffic. The beauty of the rural landscape is an important asset for New Jersey.

Trend Development: Suburban development overwhelms the farmland, open lands and natural landscape. Rigid zoning codes create homogenous tracts of single-family homes, shopping centers and office parks. Individual septic systems increase chances to pollute the groundwater and conflict with wells. Local roads become congested and require widening, destroying the rural character. Conventional development creates visual monotony and clutter that replaces the once-scenic landscape

Plan Development: New development occurs, but inspired by garden city ideals. Higher-density uses occur in a new village center, with larger lots on the outskirts. Compact growth preserves working farms, which are separated from the new community by green buffers that reduce conflicts. Natural systems handle wastewater and stormwater. Traffic congestion is limited, due to reduced automobile use. Sensitive design creates attractive new buildings and public spaces.

Existing Conditions: Parts of New Jersey still exhibit a predominantly rural landscape, with compact towns and village centers surrounded by farms, woodland and rural hamlets. Farmland and open space forms a continuous, productive landscape, with a mosaic of woodlands, hedgerows and small fields providing important wildlife habitat. Buildings are clustered in villages, hamlets and farmsteads with traditional architecture that harmonizes with the natural setting. The character of this rural landscape is an important asset for New Jersey, yet much is currently zoned for large-lot suburban sprawl.

Trend Development: Suburban development destroys farmland, open space and natural features. Rigid zoning codes create homogenous tracts of single-family homes on large lots, overwhelming the original village. Individual septic systems are more likely to pollute the groundwater and conflict with wells. Local roads become congested. The traditional, locally based economy withers. The area has lost its rural character.

Plan Development: The rural village has grown and prospered, with new mixed-use development occurring in or adjacent to the center. New buildings share or complement the character and appearance of existing structures. New development outside the village occurs in hamlets or in carefully sited estate lots. Extensive areas of farmland and woodlands are maintained. Headwaters and groundwater recharge areas are protected. Natural systems handle wastewater and stormwater. Greenway corridors link communities, providing public access to the countryside. The scenic qualities of a rural community are protected and enhanced, while the local economy is preserved.

Existing Conditions: A rural valley comprises about 1,000 acres of open and wooded land, farms, ponds and streams. While there are several vibrant traditional hamlets and villages nearby, and the community enjoys the valley's scenic vistas, the entire area is zoned for residential development, with an inflexible two-acre minimum lot size. There is considerable pressure to develop the valley with large, expensive homes, given its proximity to several major corporate employment centers.

Trend Development: Conventional zoning formulas result in about 300 residential lots. The entire valley is carved up into land holdings, too small to protect farmland or provide open space and too large to provide for affordable housing, while completely destroying its scenic character. Much of the original vegetation is removed. New roads intersect the valley, and residents must drive to almost any activity. The valley's special character has been lost, replaced by an anonymous suburban landscape.

Plan Development: The community replaces its conventional zoning and adopts a flexible, design intensive code. This allows development of the same 300 houses, but clustered in a village, leaving scenic vistas intact and 85 percent of the valley as open space. Helping to provide affordable housing, residential lot sizes in the village can reach 7,500 square feet-a traditional village lot. Design techniques such as shared driveways and rear alleys-borrowed from historic hamlets and villages in the region-allow for improvements in density and quality of life. The new village has a small mixed-use center, with a community building, recreation facilities, a few shops and office space for local professionals. The surrounding open countryside is preserved, through land acquisition or easements. Negative environmental impacts of development have been minimized. The valley provides an enduring place for human habitation in proximity to natural landscapes.